Sewing Texture

Whether you're making something new, or livening up something you love, ruffles, pleats, gathers and shirring are easy ways to add style and depth.

Texture is in! Whether you're making something new or livening up an item you've had for years, adding ruffles, pleats, gathers and shirring lets you achieve a new level of style. Vanessa shows you easy techniques and how to apply them to garments, accessories, quilts and more. Pair each of your new techniques with one of Vanessa's projects that showcase the technique in a beautiful way! Great design is all in the details, and you'll discover all the details right here in Sewing Texture. Proudly sponsored by Bernina!

Lesson plan

Lesson 1. Introduction

Meet your instructor, Vanessa Christenson, sewist and author of Make It Sew Modern. Then find out what you'll learn over the course of this class!

20:52

Lesson 2. Twisting Technique

Use jelly roll strips to make sophisticated rosettes! Vanessa walks you through various flower construction techniques, with an emphasis on how strip widths and different methods can yield dramatically different results.

35:30

Lesson 3. Flower Pillow

Adorn a pillow with your twisted rosettes from the previous lesson. Vanessa describes the best placement options and colors to work with, and teaches you everything you need to know to complete the pillow.

18:33

Lesson 4. Faux Pleats Technique

Get the look of pleats without having to put in all the effort. Learn how to measure, mark, press and secure faux pleats with up-close instruction.

14:59

Lesson 5. Pleated Baby Blanket

Use pleats to make a sleek and sophisticated baby quilt with Vanessa's help! Work with anchors and pleats, make a quilt sandwich and finish the quilt with professional tips, resulting in a beautiful gift for someone you love.

25:24

Lesson 6. Ruffle Technique

Discover how to add dimension to projects with the addition of ruffles. You'll learn how to create ruffled flowers and other designs before gaining tips on how to sew ruffles onto any project of your choosing and remove the running stitch.

39:11

Lesson 7. Ruffle Quilt Blocks

Put your new ruffle skills to work as you add them to a ruffled quilted project. Vanessa walks you through ways to use jelly roll fabrics to create your blocks, add ruffled strips, assemble and sew your project.

11:31

Lesson 8. Gathering Technique

Gathers are useful and versatile for many sewing projects. Explore traditional and modern techniques to create and use gathers in any project you desire! This method can be so fun, you may not be able to stop once you've started.

38:23

Lesson 9. Gathered Detail Bag

Add pizzazz to a linen tote bag with coordinating print fabrics. Vanessa helps you apply your new gathering skills to a gorgeous tote, explaining how to sew the panels, assemble the tote, construct and finish your project with professional tips along the way.

15:53

Lesson 10. Bonus: Shirring

Learn to shirr, a useful technique for sewing garments, accessories and home decor. Vanessa breaks down techniques for shirring and sewing in this fun bonus lesson.

"This class was well worth the money. Vanessa gave excellent instructions and demonstrated techniques that could be used in many different sewing and quilting applications."
- Mary SternStaunton, VA

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Lesson 1. Introduction

Meet your instructor, Vanessa Christenson, sewist and author of Make It Sew Modern. Then find out what you'll learn over the course of this class!

20:52

Lesson 2. Twisting Technique

Use jelly roll strips to make sophisticated rosettes! Vanessa walks you through various flower construction techniques, with an emphasis on how strip widths and different methods can yield dramatically different results.

35:30

Lesson 3. Flower Pillow

Adorn a pillow with your twisted rosettes from the previous lesson. Vanessa describes the best placement options and colors to work with, and teaches you everything you need to know to complete the pillow.

18:33

Lesson 4. Faux Pleats Technique

Get the look of pleats without having to put in all the effort. Learn how to measure, mark, press and secure faux pleats with up-close instruction.

14:59

Lesson 5. Pleated Baby Blanket

Use pleats to make a sleek and sophisticated baby quilt with Vanessa's help! Work with anchors and pleats, make a quilt sandwich and finish the quilt with professional tips, resulting in a beautiful gift for someone you love.

25:24

Lesson 6. Ruffle Technique

Discover how to add dimension to projects with the addition of ruffles. You'll learn how to create ruffled flowers and other designs before gaining tips on how to sew ruffles onto any project of your choosing and remove the running stitch.

39:11

Lesson 7. Ruffle Quilt Blocks

Put your new ruffle skills to work as you add them to a ruffled quilted project. Vanessa walks you through ways to use jelly roll fabrics to create your blocks, add ruffled strips, assemble and sew your project.

11:31

Lesson 8. Gathering Technique

Gathers are useful and versatile for many sewing projects. Explore traditional and modern techniques to create and use gathers in any project you desire! This method can be so fun, you may not be able to stop once you've started.

38:23

Lesson 9. Gathered Detail Bag

Add pizzazz to a linen tote bag with coordinating print fabrics. Vanessa helps you apply your new gathering skills to a gorgeous tote, explaining how to sew the panels, assemble the tote, construct and finish your project with professional tips along the way.

15:53

Lesson 10. Bonus: Shirring

Learn to shirr, a useful technique for sewing garments, accessories and home decor. Vanessa breaks down techniques for shirring and sewing in this fun bonus lesson.

The instructor

Vanessa Christenson, Instructor of Sewing Texture

Vanessa is the author of Make It Sew Modern and has been featured on Moda Bakeshop. With pressed faux pleats, twists, and other textured elements, her fresh, refined designs have made her popular on both Etsy and The Big Cartel. A mother of four, she lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where she designs and teaches.

Ratings & reviews

Class rating

(67 reviews)

Twists

by saracmail984110 on February 25, 2015

Love it! Great instruction!

Love it! Great instruction!

Love It!

by Ian & Una HW on October 5, 2014

Thank you for the knowledge!

Thank you for the knowledge!

Wonderful

by Sahrit on August 8, 2014

Great teacher! Great attention to detail. Gives us different options and you can see her passion towards the matirial. Can't wait to start practicing! :)

Great teacher! Great attention to detail. Gives us different options and you can see her passion towards the matirial. Can't wait to start practicing! :)

A Beautiful Pillow

by elsaf3396 on July 20, 2014

I enjoy making the pillow it turned out beautiful and was not complicated. It looks complicated but was easy to do

I enjoy making the pillow it turned out beautiful and was not complicated. It looks complicated but was easy to do

Very Clever

by Shehlafamily on July 1, 2014

Excellent tips to create twists. This is a very clever and effective technique to have in your skills list!

Excellent tips to create twists. This is a very clever and effective technique to have in your skills list!

Several, to be exact! While this class is mostly focused on fabric texture techniques, you can make the class projects as you go, including a pillow top embellished with flowers, a ruffled pinwheel block quilt, a gathered strip sewn to a beautiful tote bag and a faux-pleated baby duvet cover. As an added bonus, you'll learn how to create shirring, which can be used to create a shirred scarf!